


the measure of one's worth

by ursus_mari



Category: Princess Tutu
Genre: F/F, abusive-parental-figure-given self loathing issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-16 01:27:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29942394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ursus_mari/pseuds/ursus_mari
Summary: "Rue deserves good things."
Relationships: Ahiru | Duck & Rue (Princess Tutu), Ahiru | Duck/Rue (Princess Tutu)
Kudos: 2





	the measure of one's worth

**Author's Note:**

> no i have no idea what i'm doing do you even have to ask
> 
> i started rewatching this series and i was only up to ep three when ahiru said something like that and i just. idk. rue _does_ deserve good things
> 
> also that pas de deux was gay as fuck

_"Rue deserves good things."_

This, said simply as if it were an inevitable and obvious truth, strikes something deep in Rue. It _hurts_. She can't quite say why. She has always, always known that she was born wrong, twisted up inside, the only one who could love her is... is... Mytho. (Right?)

But this girl, clumsy and loud and kind, says, "Rue deserves good things," and something in her feels shattered.

She bites back the words, _"No, I don't,"_ swallows them down. Instead she says, "Why?"

Ahiru blinks at her, frenetic motion stilled for a moment. "Because you're Rue."

 _I don't understand_. "That's silly."

"No, it isn't!" Ahiru frowns at Rue like she's been insulted. Silly. Incomprehensible, this girl. "You're Rue and you deserve the best things because you're kind and lovely and graceful and _Rue!_ "

Rue stops, hands fisted in her skirt and bile rising in her throat. She isn't. She doesn't. She doesn't deserve that look, never has. The only one who can love her is the blank boy with nothing in his chest.

Ahiru is anything, anything but blank, face flushed and screwed up in determination, arms flapping, teetering on her heels and almost falling over.

Ahiru clearly won't take no for an answer, so Rue tightens her grip, says, "Thank you," and lets go.

And Ahiru grins, wide and happy and genuine and unprompted, and something flips in Rue's chest.

_She's lying._

But Rue knows she isn't; Ahiru simply isn't capable of it. She somehow looks at Rue and _means_ it when she says Rue deserves good things.

Silly, stupid girl.

Rue thinks she deserves the world.

**Author's Note:**

> i don't actually expect anyone to read this, but if you do and you recognize how rue feels in yourself, i _promise_ that you do deserve good things and you are worth so much, no matter what your own personal raven says. stay safe, guys


End file.
